


The Next Guardian

by SheWalksInStarlight195



Category: rise of the guardians
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-12
Updated: 2014-03-12
Packaged: 2018-01-15 10:19:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1301365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheWalksInStarlight195/pseuds/SheWalksInStarlight195
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Valerie Hart, Jamie Bennet's cousin, has been raised 'sensibly' by her parents. She has never believed in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Sandman, or the Tooth Fairy. But when she's chosen as the next guardian, she must re-evaluate everything she thought she believed in, and discover what her true center is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Poem in Winter by Elizabeth Jennings

Today the children begin to hope for snow  
And look in the sky for auguries of it.  
It is not for such omens that we wait,  
Our world may not be settled by the slow  
Falling of flakes to lie across our thought.

And even if the snow comes down indeed  
We still shall stand behind a pane of glass  
Untouched by it, and watch the children press  
Their image upon the drifts the snow has laid  
Upon a winter they think they have made.

This is a wise illusion. Better to  
Believe the near world is created by  
A wish, a shaping hand, a certain eye,  
Than hide in the mind's corner as we do  
As though there were no world, no fall of snow.


	2. Non-Believer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem that made up the last chapter is one we just read in class, and really shows, in my mind, Valerie's view of myths and how it changes throughout the course of the story, with the snow representing the stories (hint, hint :)

"Valerie! Hurry up! We're going to be late!"  
Valerie Hart groaned and sat up in bed. A blast of chilly air hit her and she yanked the blankets up around her with a curse.  
"Do I have to go?" she called grumpily.  
"Valerie! We only get to see them during the holidays and you're going whether you like it or not!"  
"Only if I get to bring my bow!"  
She heard her mom groan through the door. Valerie had taken up archery two years prior in order to practice dexterity and precision.  
"Mom, there's a competition in two weeks! I need to practice!"  
"Alright, as long as you promise to spend some time with Jamie and Sophie."  
"Aw c'mon! I'm seventeen!"  
"Valerie..."  
She caved when she heard the dangerous tone in her mom's voice.  
"Fine, but only for a bit."  
Leaning back against her pillow, she wondered if she'd be able to survive one more discussion on the nature of the Easter Bunny.

As she stepped out of the car, Valerie slipped on a patch of ice and nearly fell on her ass.  
"God, I hate winter," she muttered, beginning to walk gingerly up the driveway.  
"Val!" a young voice called. She looked up to see Jamie running toward her. Stooping, she embraced him, smiling. Annoying as he could be, he was a sweet kid, and deep down she loved him.  
"Val, you're not going to believe what happened this Easter!"  
'I'm sure I won't' she thought as she braced herself for the trial. Then she heard her aunt calling.  
"Valerie, sweetheart, come here! I haven't seen you since last Christmas!"  
Breathing a sigh of relief, she stood up and hurried toward the front door. As she did, she heard Jamie's voice behind her.  
"Yeah, she's never believed in you guys."  
There was a pause.  
"Nope, not even when she was a kid."  
She turned around to see Jamie staring up at the blank space to his right. Rolling her eyes, she headed inside the house.

"Well, she definitely couldn't see me," Jack commented, watching Valerie head toward the house.  
"Yeah, she's never believed in you guys," Jamie said, looking at his feet.  
"What?" Jack exclaimed, looking startled. "You mean not even when..."  
"Nope, not even when she was a kid."  
Jack scratched his head, watching her enter the house. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed.  
"Do you think she's..."  
Jamie laughed.  
"Jack, she's not in league with Pitch. I'd be surprised if she even thought he existed. She doesn't have dreams, much less nightmares. She's too practical."  
"How does she live with herself?" Jack murmured.  
"I have no idea. She's obsessed with school. Get this, she hates snow days, like, more than anything. Says they mess up her schedule. And she wants to move to Florida when she's older cause winter is her least favorite season."  
Jack frowned at the house.  
'I think I just met my arch nemesis.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "This is the next guardian?" you may ask. Don't worry, it'll all work out in the end, I promise. As long as she and Jack don't kill each other first, that is. :)  
> P.S. If you're dying to know what Val's guardian identity will be, here's two clues: it's all in her name, and her hobby speaks for itself.


	3. The Story

Jamie came in thirty minutes later covered in snow and breathing hard. He'd been in a snowball fight with some kids up the block. His mom made him some hot chocolate and he sat down next to Valerie, who was curled up on the couch in front of the fire, wrapped in about five blankets.  
"I hate the cold," she hissed. "How can you stand to be outside so long?"  
"I like to be with my friends," he said matter-of-factly. "If you ever got a chance to actually be in a snowball fight, you'd enjoy it."  
She pulled the blankets tighter around her, muttering something about insane children.  
"Yep, you and Jack would definitely not like each other," he said, sipping his cocoa. She glanced at him.  
"Who's Jack? Your Eskimo friend?"  
He laughed.  
"No, silly. Jack Frost."  
"Jack Frost," she said through gritted teeth, "does not exist."  
"Yes he does," Jamie replied. "Which reminds me, I still need to tell you about Easter."  
She sighed.  
"Jamie, this isn't another one of your ridiculous stories, is it?"  
She looked up to see him staring at her, a hurt look in his brown eyes, and she suddenly felt sorry. Pulling him into her lap, she said, "Alright, fine. But keep it short."  
With a grin, he launched into his narrative. A full five minutes later, after many outbursts, eye-rolls, and mutterings from Valerie, her trip through hell was done. Suddenly, an idea came floating through her suicidal rage.  
"Jamie," she said softly, "have you ever considered writing a book?"  
He glanced up at her, shocked.  
"Huh?"  
"You have such a good imagination and are great at coming up with stories. Why don't you try writing them down? You could publish them, sell them, make a bit of money."  
Jamie's face brightened.  
"That's a great idea! Could you help me?"  
Considerable relief filled her at the thought of being able to teach Jamie something practical.  
"Of course I will."  
"Awesome!" he exclaimed, jumping up. "Let's go up to my room!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who have left kudos so far on this work. As it's my first fanfiction I really appreciate it. :)


End file.
